Most Shared

Meet the Most Popular Kid at New York Fashion Week: John Elliott

“I’m just a kid from the Northwest trying to do the best I can with the means I’ve got,” said San Francisco native John Elliott, 32, from his temporary studio set up on the Bowery, in preparations leading up to his New York fashion week debut. Just two years old, he has already built a fierce cult following for his brand, John Elliott + Co, thanks to smart signature pieces like the Villain sweatshirt—a side-zip hoodie with an interior kangaroo pocket. His initial pursuit of the very best terry cloth and denim he could find (most often in Japan) led him to partner with a prominent Japanese distributor, one who could help him develop his own fabrics. From there, he built his Fall 2015 collection; here are the bullet points: extra-long, stacked sweatpants; layered jersey with various textures and ribbing (all developed by Elliott and his partner); suede poncho and rider jackets; slim denim; and myriad Nikes, many in custom colorways for the show. (Side note: As a kid, Elliott used to sketch sneaker designs and send them to Nike—his mother still has the letters of encouragement he got in response.) There’s no official collaboration announcement yet, but we should expect to see John Elliot x Nike in the not-too-distant future. The show was styled mostly in monotone by Eugene Tong, his expert eye for layering apparent with every look.

It was, by all accounts, a strong first showing from a very green designer. Earlier this week, Elliott and his partner were nearly laughed out of a prominent buyer’s office. “That’s cute,” he was told when he mentioned his NYFW runway show. Considering the turnout today, he likely won’t have that problem ever again. Kanye West was in attendance, although you may have missed him sitting in the second row. Entertainment Tonight caught Elliott and West for an interview—look for that to air tonight.

Backstage after the show, when the cheers died down, Elliott was greeted by a mob of family, friends, reporters, editors, buyers, and celebrities—all of them fans, including West, Nick Young, Victor Cruz, and J.R. Smith. After more than 30 minutes, he was still finding new faces to meet with triumphant hugs. “He’s just such a nice guy; you want him to win,” said one editor. Overcome by emotion, Elliott didn’t know where to look or who to hug next. “First-time designer!” he called out, unable to find more than a few seconds to talk with any one person at a time. “I don’t know what I’m doing!” But clearly he does. John Elliott is one to watch next season and beyond.

See the complete John Elliott + Co Fall 2015 collection in the slidshow below.